UEI NUMBER & SAM REGISTRATION
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Contents
History ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
UEI Number Requirement ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Who needs a UEI number? ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
How much will it cost to get a UEI number or to register in SAM.gov? ......................................................................................................................... 2
How do I obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number? ........................................................................................................................................... 2
My organization is not in the United States. Does my organization still need a UEI number? .................................................................................... 2
My organization has more than one UEI number. How do I know which UEI to use? ................................................................................................. 2
How do I find out if my organization already has a UEI number? ................................................................................................................................. 2
SAM Registration Requirement ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
What is SAM? ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Who must register with SAM? ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
How does an entity register in the SAM? ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3
How do I obtain a NCAGE/CAGE code? ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Once my organization has an active SAM.gov registration, do we have to do anything else? ..................................................................................... 3
How do I find out if my organization is already registered in SAM? ............................................................................................................................. 3
History
• Cooperator/recipient requirements for a “unique entity identifier” were officially implemented for grants and
agreements in the Federal Register (FR) on September 14, 2010, with an effective date of October 1, 2010, and
added the requirement for subrecipients.
• Beginning October 1, 2010, all cooperators/recipients receiving federal awards were required to have a Data
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR),
as outlined in 2 CFR Part 25, Financial Assistance Use of Universal Identifier and Central Contractor Registration.
• In July 2012, the CCR was incorporated into the System for Award Management, known as SAM, and available at
SAM.gov. The current 2 CFR Part 25 – Universal Identifier and System for Award Management, is available at this
link: eCFR :: 2 CFR Part 25 -- Universal Identifier and System for Award Management
• Beginning April 4, 2022, the DUNS number requirement terminated and the Unique Entity Identifier or Unique
Entity ID, known as the UEI, was implemented as the means for an entity to be identified and validated to do
business with the Government. You can find information about this transition from the DUNS number to the UEI
number on the General Services Administration’s Entity Identifier Update webpage at
https://www.gsa.gov/entityid.
UEI Number Requirement
Starting April 2022, the UEI is assigned when an entity registers or renews its registration in SAM.gov at www.SAM.gov.
To access SAM.gov an entity is required to have a Login.gov account. Entities can create an account at
https://login.gov/. As a reminder, organizations need to renew its SAM.gov registration annually.
UEI NUMBER & SAM REGISTRATION
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Who needs a UEI number?
Any entity that wishes to do business with the federal government and who will receive federal funds or a subaward
must have a UEI number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Individuals are not
required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.
How much will it cost to get a UEI number or to register in SAM.gov?
Obtaining the new, government-owned UEI number is FREE for all federal grant and agreements, and contract
applicants, through the registration process in SAM.gov.
How do I obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number?
All entities/organizations applying for grants (except individuals) or receiving a federal assistance or non-assistance
award must register in www.SAM.gov to generate a UEI number. (See SAM Registration, Page 3)
My organization is not in the United States. Does my organization still need a UEI number?
UEI numbers are required for all organizations, foreign or domestic, when doing business with the Federal
Government. In rare instances, a foreign cooperator whose award or subaward is less than $25,000 can request a
waiver from ARS by communicating with the Financial Management and Agreements Division Authorized
Departmental Officer. The request will be reviewed against the exceptions in 2 CFR Part 25.
My organization has more than one UEI number. How do I know which UEI to use?
UEI numbers are issued by the physical location of the organization. Therefore, some organizations may have
multiple UEI numbers. Use the UEI number associated with the location of the organization that is doing business
with the Federal awarding Agency.
How do I find out if my organization already has a UEI number?
Your chief fiscal officer, treasurer, business manager, executive director, or accountant is likely to be able to provide
your organization’s UEI number, particularly if your organization is already registered in SAM. If your organization is
already registered in SAM, your UEI has already been assigned and is viewable in your SAM.gov entity registration.
SAM created UEIs for all existing registrations, both active and expired.
If your organization has never been registered in SAM, then your chief fiscal officer, treasurer, business manager,
executive director, or accountant will be provided a UEI through the registration process at SAM.GOV.
SAM Registration Requirement
What is SAM?
The System for Award Management (SAM) is an official website of the U.S. government and a large central database
that includes information about all government contractors and entities receiving grant and cooperative
agreements. It is managed by the General Services Administration (GSA) and SAM.gov is free for entities to register
to do business with the U.S. government.
Who must register with SAM?
For entities to do business with any federal government agency, receives federal funds, they must complete the SAM
registration. Once the SAM registration has been completed, the government assigns the entity a Commercial and
Government Entities Code, or CAGE Code, and a UEI number. All entities must also register with SAM before a proposal
can be submitted and before an agency-funded agreement or contract can be issued. If an organization plans to issue
a contract or sub-award, those entities must also be registered in SAM.gov and have a UEI number.
UEI NUMBER & SAM REGISTRATION
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How does an entity register in the SAM?
1. To access www.SAM.gov an entity is required to have a Login.gov account. Entities can create an account at
https://login.gov/.
2. To register with SAM, go to https://sam.gov/content/home, and click on “Register Your Entity or Get a Unique
Entity ID”. The chief fiscal officer, treasurer, business manager, executive director, or accountant for your
organization must know your organization's Federal Tax Identification Number (TIN). Foreign organizations may
or may not have a TIN number.
How do I obtain a NCAGE/CAGE code?
United States (US)-based organizations must register for a Commercial and Government Entities Code, CAGE Code, and
Foreign-based organizations must register for a NCAGE code in the NATO codification system.
a. US-based organizations: A CAGE code will be automatically assigned when a U.S. organization registers in
www.sam.gov. Organization’s legal address in CAGE must mirror www.sam.gov.
Link for CAGE: https://cage.dla.mil/Home/UsageAgree#_blank
b. Foreign-based organizations: Must apply for a NCAGE code before registering in SAM.gov. The
Organization’s legal address in NCAGE must mirror www.sam.gov. NCAGE codes must be renewed every 5
years; it is recommended that you complete your renewal about three months before it is set to expire. It
takes a couple of weeks to get approval, so it’s crucial that you complete the process early.
Link for NCAGE: NATO Codification System - AC135
(https://www.nato.int/structur/ac/135/welcome.htm#_blank)
c. CAGE/NCAGE code renewal. CAGE/NCAGE registrations must be renewed every 5 years. Organizations are
required to renew their CAGE or NCAGE codes, prior to renewing www.sam.gov. It is recommended that
you complete your renewal about 3 months before it is set to expire.
CAGE Code Registration Help: CAGE Code Renewal & Registration: We Can Help | SAM Registration, SAM.gov
Registration | Federal Contractor Registry
Once my organization has an active SAM.gov registration, do we have to do anything else?
Yes. A SAM registration must be renewed at least every 12 months to remain valid and must remain active during
the life of all active Federal awards. It is the responsibility of the entity/organization to ensure they have an active
registration in SAM.gov.
How do I find out if my organization is already registered in SAM?
You can perform a public search in SAM to find your organization's registration. Go to the SAM website, and enter
the organization name, CAGE Code, or UEI number in the “Search” box. If your organization chose the “opt out of
public display” option in its registration, you will not be able to see that registration on the public search site unless
you log in with a username and password.
